Olympic Games 2012: Finance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what her most recent estimate is of the cost to the public purse of hosting the London 2012  (a) Olympic and  (b) Paralympic Games.

Tessa Jowell: The public sector funding provision of £9.325 billion for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games that I announced in March 2007 remains unchanged and includes a £66 million contribution towards hosting the Paralympic games. The Olympic and Paralymic games are being hosted by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).
	Detailed financial information is given in the Government Olympic Executive's regular quarterly economic reports, including the anticipated final cost of the Olympic Delivery Authority's programme, the most recent of which was published in November 2009.
	The next financial update will be included in the London 2012 annual report which will be published in February 2010. These reports do not include LOCOG's anticipated final costs as LOGOG is a private company funded almost entirely by private sources.

Olympic Games 2012: North West

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps she is taking to ensure the North West region obtains a legacy from the London 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: The Government and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games established the Nations and Regions Group to ensure UK-wide engagement and to maximise the legacy for London 2012. This group works directly with representatives from each of the Nations and English regions to maximise the sporting, commercial, cultural and other benefits of the 2012 Games.
	Business in Leeds has already benefited from the contract opportunities linked to the London 2012 Games. Yorkshire and Humber region has won more than 119 London 2012 business contracts, 21 companies are based in Leeds.
	As part of the programme to maximise the sporting opportunities for the regions Yorkshire has a total of 49 Pre Games Training Camps including John Charles Centre for Sport. The Dutch swimming team have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to use Leeds for their training for London 2012.
	The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad project which includes The Artists Taking the Lead announced 'Leeds Canvas' as a winner. This is a 'first time ever' citywide collaboration between artists and arts organisations and will continue beyond 2012 leaving a cultural legacy for Leeds.
	Also many schools in Leeds are participating in Get Set, the official London 2012 education programme for schools across the UK. To date, Leeds has 88 schools registered.

M6

David Winnick: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport 
	(1)  if he will require the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency to meet residents in Walsall North constituency who are adversely affected by the M6 motorway work on the site of the work, as requested by the hon. Member for Walsall North;
	(2)  for what reasons the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency did not agree to meet residents on the site within the Walsall North constituency who are adversely affected by the M6 motorway work; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will ensure that the Chief Executive or Deputy Chief Executive of the Highways Agency meets residents on sites where work authorised by the agency is taking place when requested to do so by hon. Members.

Chris Mole: The Chief Executive of the Highways Agency has offered to meet the hon. Member and representatives of local residents at the Agency's offices, or at the construction site offices, where he believes a constructive discussion can be held to agree what, if any, further action by the Highways Agency's contractor is needed to mitigate the disturbance to residents.
	The Chief Executive has personally investigated complaints by the hon. Member's constituents and ensured that any shortcomings were rectified. This includes asking the contractor's main board director to ensure that he delivers a plan for improving neighbour relations.
	The Chief Executive has assured me on several occasions that he is willing to meet with any Member of this house to discuss particular matters affecting constituents, and has done this with several hon. Members in the past.

Departmental Internet

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what redesigns of websites operated by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have taken place since 27 June 2007; and what the (i) cost to the public purse and (ii) date of completion of each such redesign was.

Dan Norris: The DEFRA website has undergone a single redesign since the creation of the Department in 2001. This went live on 17 September 2009 and external costs for this (for audience research, web structure analysis, design and accessibility auditing) totalled £181,378. It is not possible to separate out the internal staff costs for this work.
	The FERA website design was completed in 31 March 2009. The cost of external website design company work was £11,643.75. Of this cost, approximately £2,250 would come under the heading of 'Strategy and planning', the remainder would come under the heading 'Design and build'. The website is hosted on Fera's own IT infrastructure and it is not possible to disaggregate the costs associated with hosting the website. 'Content provision' and 'Testing and evaluation' were all carried out in house. It is not possible to separate out the internal staff costs for this work.
	The redesign of the CEFAS website has cost £25,500. This work is still ongoing with a planned launch date of the end of January 2010.
	The Marine and Fisheries Agency website did have a redesign to apply the then-DEFRA design templates. This went live on 1 December 2007 and this design is still live today. There were no specific "redesign costs" for this.
	The RPA Website has not been redesigned during this period. The Cattle Tracing System Online transactional website, which enables farmers to submit cattle birth and movement data directly to RPA's central tracing system was completely rebuilt during 2008 and 2009 on new hardware and software. This has provided enhanced functionality and improved security through the Government Gateway at a total project cost of £3,959,270. The vast majority of the cost was on developing and testing hardware and software to support the interactive transactional services to customers and the spend on web design, which cannot be separated from the total spend, was a small proportion of the overall cost.
	The Veterinary Laboratories Agency website was redesigned during 2007-08 to improve its template design, navigation and accessibility. The new site went live on 29 April 2008 and external costs totalled £9,394.13.
	Other DEFRA agencies have not carried out redesigns of their websites during this period.

Driving

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms are in place to ensure that staff who drive  (a) a vehicle for which (i) his Department and (ii) one of its Executive agencies is responsible have valid driving licences and  (b) their own vehicles in the course of their official duties for (A) his Department and (B) one of its Executive agencies have valid driving licences and insurance; what guidance is issued to those staff in respect of road safety while carrying out official duties; what steps are taken to monitor compliance with that guidance; what requirements there are on such staff to report to their line managers accidents in which they are involved while driving in the course of their official duties; and whether such reports are investigated.

Dan Norris: The core-Department's Driving Policy and Guidance applies to all driving and travel by staff on official DEFRA business. It covers the Marine Fisheries Agency and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate also. Other DEFRA departmental bodies should have their own equivalent arrangements in place in line with DEFRA'S Safety Policy signed off by the permanent secretary.
	Individual employees must follow all procedures and guidance extant to keep them safe and healthy while driving and travelling on DEFRA business. They must have:
	(i) a full valid UK driving licence for a properly taxed vehicle and appropriate motor insurance;
	(ii) obtained a driving permit from the relevant official vehicle manager if using a DEFRA owned vehicle or, hiring a car from a car hire company;
	(iii) submit their driving licence, insurance, MOT documents and proof of vehicle tax details to their manager on request annually as part of the risk assessment process applicable to driving on official business. Managers are responsible for ensuring compliance with this risk assessment requirement; and
	(iv) report motoring convictions, offences, accidents and incidents.
	Senior managers must, in accordance with the DEFRA Safety Policy, ensure compliance with this policy in areas within their span of control. This includes provision of budget for appropriate training where identified and nominating a named person or persons to co-ordinate risk assessments for driving and travel activities within their control. They are required to ensure the safe and efficient operation of vehicles used on official business.
	Drivers must observe all legal requirements with regard to reporting accidents. All incidents and accidents (including near misses) that occur on an official journey must be reported to the departmental health and safety unit (DHSU). Accidents or incidents involving a pool or Private Use Scheme car must also be reported to core-DEFRA's travel liaison unit and the contracted supplier for accidents and breakdowns.
	Managers must ensure reporting of all accidents, injuries or near misses, monitor the effectiveness of preventative measures by investigating accidents and near misses, carry out initial investigations, and review local risk assessments, following accidents, incidents and near misses, keep appropriate records of documentation checks, and request copies of vehicle check lists from individual drivers at regular intervals.
	The DHSU monitor accident/incident reports to identify trends, advise managers where requested and investigate accidents and incidents if so requested, arrange training as necessary, keep a central log of completed risk assessments and regularly audit completed risk assessments.

Geographical Information Systems

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 19 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1284W, on geographical information systems, whether the definition of cadastral parcels has been finalised for the purposes of implementation of the INSPIRE Directive.

Dan Norris: The draft INSPIRE Implementing Rule for Annex I Data Specifications (including Cadastral Parcels) was unanimously passed by the INSPIRE Comitology Committee on 14 December 2009. This document will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union later in 2010 as a Regulation.
	The Implementing Rule does not further define the scope beyond the INSPIRE Directive statement as "Areas defined by cadastral registers or equivalent." The INSPIRE Feature Concept Dictionary extends that definition and this is also developed in the INSPIRE Cadastral Parcels Data Specification Guidelines at:
	http://inspire.jrc.ec.europa.eu/index.cfm/pageid/2
	From this it can be inferred, that the minimum requirement for the United Kingdom, is the legal property land parcel data, recorded as vector data, by the Land Registries in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. That data are dependent on Ordnance Survey data in Great Britain and Land and Property Services data in Northern Ireland.

Water Charges

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the likely change to customer bills following the transfer of private sewers and drains to water company ownership; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Impact Assessment that accompanied my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs' announcement on 15 December 2008 estimated the increase in sewerage customers' bills to be between £4 and £12 per year, which is around 7.5p to 23p a week.
	The Impact assessment is available on DEFRA's website.

Departmental Billing

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of invoices submitted to his Department have been paid within 10 days in each month since October 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Home Department has invested significantly in its people, with the creation of a professional Shared Service Centre and Procurement Centre of Excellence complemented by the creation of new processes and upgraded Procure to Pay systems.
	The Department has been putting a firm focus on paying its suppliers on time when it is in receipt of a compliant invoice. It has been working closely with colleagues in the Department for Business Innovation and Skills reporting on both our legislative obligations of 30 days as well as the 10 day PM's commitment for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) for correctly presented compliant invoices.
	The Home Office performance for paying all invoices within 30 days and paying SME compliant invoices within 10 days for the period October 2008 to November 2009 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Table 1: The Home Office performance of paying total number of invoices within 30 days and SME compliant invoices within 10 days for the period October 2008 to November 2009 
			   Home Office 
			  Month  Total number of all  invoices paid  Percentage of total number of all invoices paid within 30 days  Number of SMEs' compliant invoices paid within 10 days  SMEs, percentage of compliant invoices paid with 10 days 
			 October 2008 7,122 83 (1)- (1)- 
			 November 2008 5,336 79 (1)- (1)- 
			 December 2008 5,934 91 (1)- (1)- 
			 January 2009 3,975 83 (1)- (1)- 
			 February 2009 6,185 94 649 100 
			 March 2009 8,622 93 770 10O 
			 April 2009 3,929 84 927 100 
			 May 2009 3,749 87 667 98 
			 June 2009 4,112 89 880 99 
			 July 2009 3,840 92 789 99 
			 August 2009 3,601 90 734 99 
			 September 2009 3,517 90 871 99 
			 October 2009 4,465 91 1,159 100 
			 November 2009 4,949 91 1,208 100 
			 (1) Not recorded prior to PM's announcement to pay all SMEs within 10 days. 
		
	
	The Criminal Records Bureau's (CRB) started to record performance of paying invoices in April 2009 and to provide information before this date would incur disproportionate cost. CRBs performance of paying invoices within 10 days for the period April 2009 to November 2009 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Table 2: CRB performance of paying SME invoices within 10 days for the period April 2009 to November 2009 
			  Month  Total number of all invoices  Number of SME invoices paid within  10 days  SME percentage of invoices paid within  10 days 
			 April 2009 285 115 40.00 
			 May 2009 234 135 25.93 
			 June 2009 256 140 36.43 
			 July 2009 414 160 57.50 
			 August 2009 450 92 34.78 
			 September 2009 474 173 33.53 
			 October 2009 235 112 61.61 
			 November 2009 323 193 72.54

Police

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evaluation his Department has made of the effects of the joint Home Office/Department for Transport/Association of Chief Police Officers strategy on roads policing published in January 2005; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: We have not conducted a specific formal review of the strategy statement but Implementation of the Strategy forms a specific part of the National Community Safety Plan. We liaise regularly with the Department for Transport and ACPO on developments within the context of the strategy.

Police: Bureaucracy

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the number of forms police officers are required to complete in respect of each prosecution; what recent discussions he has had with the Police Federation on that matter; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The Policing Green Paper, published in July 2008, committed the Government to cut red tape and improve police processes to free officers up to deal with the issues that matter to the public. This has been built upon by the Policing White Paper, published on 2 December 2009.
	To date we have made the following progress:
	On 1 January 2009 changes to PACE Code A came into effect which removed the requirement for police officers to complete the Stop and Account form, whilst retaining the recording of the ethnicity of those stopped for monitoring reasons.
	We are also legislating in the Crime and Security Bill currently before Parliament to remove the paperwork associated with Stop and Search.
	Action on forms is part of a wider approach to bureaucracy reduction, focusing on the simplification of policing processes and more effective management of risk. Jan Berry has been appointed as the independent Reducing Bureaucracy Advocate to challenge Government and the police service to make further progress on these issues, supported by a practitioner group of police officers and staff. Her full report, Reducing Bureaucracy in Policing, was published on 2 December 2009.
	As set out in the White Paper, we will also work with police stakeholders to encourage forces themselves to take responsibility for reducing bureaucracy. This includes reducing the amount and size of forms that officers and staff need to fill in. Jan Berry will be asked to report on this in her final report in summer 2010.
	Home Office Ministers have regular meetings with the Police Federation and other staff associations at which bureaucracy is discussed along with other policing issues.

Police: Olympic Games 2012

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the Minister for the Olympics on the policing of the London 2012 Olympics.

David Hanson: holding answer 5 January 2010
	Security planning for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games is discussed at regular meetings of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on National Security, International Relations and Development (Protective Security and Resilience ((NSID) PSR) which my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary chairs and which the right hon. Member the Minister for the Olympics (Tessa Jowell) attends. The Minister for the Olympics has also had several recent discussions with Admiral the Lord West of Spithead, the responsible Minister for Olympic security, about policing and related security issues around the games.

Terrorism: Stop and Search

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been issued to police forces on use of powers under anti-terrorism legislation to stop and search people taking photographs.

David Hanson: Guidance has been provided to the police on a number of occasions regarding the use of counter terrorism stop and search powers in relation to taking photographs. These have included the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) guidance on stop and search which was revised and reissued to all forces in November 2008. It explains the background and purpose of stop and search powers, the different circumstances in which they might be used, including circumstances where photography may be involved.
	In August 2009 the Home Office published a national circular clarifying the use of counterterrorism legislation in regards to photography in public places. The Circular (012/2009) can be found on the Home Office website. I also wrote to all chief constables whose forces had standing section 44 authorisations. This letter reiterated how the powers should be used and was accompanied by a copy of the national circular.
	The Metropolitan police also issued their own local guidance on counterterrorism legislation with regard to photography in public places in August 2009. The guidance was published on the public Metropolitan police website. And on 15December 2009 John Yates, Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan police, issued further guidance to all Metropolitan police officers on the use of stop and search powers in relation to people taking photographs.

Travel: Personal Records

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether airlines are required under the e-Borders scheme to provide credit card or bank details of passengers; and what categories of information airlines have provided to date.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 6 January 2010
	Carriers can be required to provide reservation data, known as Other Passenger Information (OPI) to the e-Borders system, but only if it is collected in the normal course of their business. This may include details of method of payment, including credit card information.
	There are 53 pieces of information that may have been provided by carriers to date. These are outlined in Schedule 1 to the Immigration and Police (Passenger, Crew and Service Information) Order 2008, which can be found at the following weblink:
	http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080005_en_2
	A copy is available in the House Library.

Travel: Personal Records

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the list of Other Passenger Information required by the e-Borders programme.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 6 January 2010
	Full details of the information to be collected have been outlined in Schedule 1 to The Immigration and Police (Passenger, Crew and Service Information) Order 2008 which came into effect on 1 March 2008.
	This information can be found on the following weblink:
	http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080005_en_2
	A copy is available in the House Library.

UK Border Agency

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which countries the UK Border Agency has offices  (a) co-located and  (b) not co-located with the British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission.

Phil Woolas: All the UK Border Agency's overseas offices are based in British diplomatic missions, except for the UK visa section, which is in the UKBA's estate in Croydon. The agency's commercial partners also run visa application centres for the agency in 110 locations. These are not co-located with the diplomatic missions

Iran: Baha'i Faith

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent representations he has made to the Government of Iran on the seven person informal leadership group of the Baha'i community in Iran; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether he has requested the Iranian authorities to guarantee the safety of the accused informal Baha'i leadership in Iran and for any trial to be held in public; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Alongside our EU partners we have made clear to the Iranian authorities our concerns at the charges of 'espionage' and corruption on earth levelled against the seven Baha'i leaders imprisoned for over a year without trial, most recently through the EU presidency, which summoned the Iranian Ambassador on 10 July 2009. In recent days we have learnt that their trial has been scheduled for 12 January 2010. We have already spoken to EU Partners who share our belief that we should collectively make clear to Iran in advance of that date that they have international obligations to ensure that, if it goes ahead, it is a fair trial.
	We have been active in using multilateral fora to call for the Iranian authorities to respect the rights of Baha'is and other religious and ethnic minorities. On 18 December 2009, the UN General Assembly adopted a Resolution on human rights in Iran for the seventh consecutive year. The Resolution condemns 'attacks on Baha'is and their faith in state-sponsored media, increasing evidence of efforts by the state to identify, monitor and arbitrarily detain Baha'is, preventing members of the Baha'i faith from attending university and from sustaining themselves economically'.
	We will continue to urge Iran to respect the right to freedom of religion and belief as described in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a state party.

Morocco: Exports

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of the purchase by UK companies of goods from Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara.

Ivan Lewis: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not received any reports or representations from UK companies regarding the purchase of goods from Western Sahara or the legalities of such purchases.
	The UK continues to maintain its position that Morocco, as the de facto administering power of Western Sahara, is obliged under international law to ensure that economic activities under administration-including the extraction and exportation of phosphates-do not adversely affect the interests of the people in Western Sahara. This is also the opinion of the EU Legal Service when considering the legality of the 2006 EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement before it was finalised.

Departmental Surveys

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of the results of his Department's most recent staff survey; which organisation carried out the survey; and what the cost of the survey was.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office people survey was delivered as part of the Ministry of Justice people survey, and as such its costs was borne by, and not split out from, those of the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice's share of ORC International's costs for providing the 2009 survey was £192,000. By procuring a single supplier for staff surveys in 2009-10 the civil service has saved 35 per cent. on the total cost of staff surveys in 2008-09. The results are expected to be received next month and we will put a copy in the Library in due course.

Employment Tribunals Service

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many industrial tribunals his Department has been party to in each of the last five years; and what the cost to his Department of such tribunals was in each year.

Peter Hain: As my Department has been party to less than five employment tribunals during the period specified I am unable to release the additional information you seek for reasons of confidentiality.

New Businesses

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with  (a) Ministerial colleagues and  (b) Welsh Assembly government ministers on policy to promote small business start-up schemes among young people in Wales.

Peter Hain: I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues and Welsh Assembly Government Ministers on all issues affecting the Welsh economy including small businesses.
	The Welsh Assembly Government is actively engaged in promoting small business and self-employment options with young people, including graduates.
	In addition, under the Jobcentre Plus Six Month Offer, there are two elements of help on offer to people who want to move into self-employment or start a business. The first provides financial support during the early weeks of trading through the self-employment credit paid of £50 a week for up to 16 weeks and the Building Britain's Recovery White Paper brings forward entitlement to this credit to three months.
	The second was a provision of additional funds to Flexible Support for Business in Wales so that it can provide intensive self-employment and business start-up support for those who need it both before they leave benefits and into the first weeks of trading.

Civil Service: Internet

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what guidance is provided to civil servants on their involvement in online social media.

Angela Smith: The Civil Service Code applies to participation online as a civil servant or when discussing government business. Specific guidance for online participation is available to all civil servants at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/resources/participation-online.aspx
	Copies of the Civil Service Code and the guidance is also available in the Library of the House.

Employment

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people were employed  (a) in total and  (b) in local government in the UK at the latest date for which information is available.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning, how many people were employed  (a) in total and  (b) in local government in the UK. at the latest date for which information is available. (309395)
	Estimates of total employment for the UK are derived from the Labour Force Survey. Data for the survey is collected on a monthly basis; the latest date for which information is available is September 2009. It is important to acknowledge, as with any sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	Estimates of employment for local government in the UK are collected as part of the Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey (QPSKS). Data for the survey is collected on a quarterly basis; the latest date for which information is available is September 2009.
	The requested estimates are attached at Annex A.
	
		
			  Annex A: Total and local government employment, seasonally adjusted, United Kingdom 
			  Thousand 
			   Local government( 1, 2, 3)  Total employment( 4, 5) 
			 All in employment (September 2009) 2,923 28,926 
			 (1) Estimates derived from public sector organisations.  (2) Estimates for Northern Ireland included in the UK total ate sourced from the Quarterly Employment Survey and are based on jobs rather than employees.  (3) Police (England and Wales) based on projections.  (4) LFS data for September refer to August to October.  (5) Labour Force Survey employment; all aged 16 and over; seasonally adjusted.   Source:  Office for National Statistics (ONS) Labour Force Survey and returns from public sector organisations.

Official Residences

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which Minister occupied each ministerial residence in each of the last three years.

Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1135W and my right hon. Friend, the Member for Doncaster, North (Edward Miliband) on 27 November 2007,  Official Report, column 352W. My right hon. Friend Lord Malloch-Brown vacated the flat in Admiralty House in July 2009.

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Vacancies

Bob Neill: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality with reference to the answer of 18 June 2009,  Official Report, column 503W, on the Equality and Human Rights Commission: manpower, what full-time equivalent vacant posts there are in the Equality and Human Rights Commission; and what the  (a) job title and  (b) salary range of each vacancy is.

Maria Eagle: The Equality and Human Rights Commission is currently recruiting to the vacancies listed in the following tables.
	
		
			  Interim vacancies as at week commencing 14 December 2009 
			  Directorate  Vacancy-job title  Comments  Level  Interim day rates to be confirmed subject to appointment (£)  Full-time equivalent 
			 Communications Internal communications co-ordinator Paid at an appropriate daily/hourly rate commensurate with the skills and experience that the appropriate individual will bring to the role. 2 c75 - 
			  Head of procurement  5 c700 - 
			  Records manager  3 c150 - 
			 Finance Assistant management accountant (AP role) x 2  3 c150 2 
			 Legal Business manager  4 C170 0.5 
			 Strategy Group director (GD) for regulation  GD To be confirmed - 
		
	
	
		
			  Permanent/fixed term contract vacancies as at week commencing 14 December 2009 
			  Directorate  Vacancy- job title  Comments  Level  Salary start rate p.a. (£)  Full-time equivalent 
			 Commissioners Office Chief executive officer - - To be confirmed - 
			 Communications Campaigns and marketing officer Maternity cover 3 26,815.80 - 
			  Team leader - 3 26,815.80 0.61 
			 Corporate Management Senior professional Maternity cover 5 43,680.00 - 
			 Scotland Senior professional - 5 43,680.00 - 
			  Policy officer Maternity cover 3 26,815.80 - 
			  Caseworker Secondment opportunity until September 2010 3 £26,815.80 - 
			 Strategy Policy manager-European and International - 4 34,224.75 - 
			  Research manager Maternity cover 4 34,224.75 - 
			  Policy manager-criminal injustice Secondment opportunity till 31 March 2010 4 34,224.75 - 
		
	
	
		
			  Other recruitment activity as at week commencing 14 December 2009 
			  Vacancy-job title  Comments  Day rate (£) 
			 Disability Committee Members x 2 These are fee based roles requiring a commitment of between 10-15 days per year. These are not roles included as part of the over all establishment. 250 
			 Audit and Risk Committee Members x2   
			 Scotland Committee Member

Child Care Vouchers: Yorkshire and the Humber

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what information his Department holds on the number of childcare providers in  (a) Leeds West constituency and  (b) West Yorkshire who take part in the childcare voucher scheme.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland (Dr. Kumar) on 2 December 2009,  Official Report, column 806W.
	Employers and employees are not required to report the provision of tax exempt child care vouchers. Accordingly, the specific information that has been asked for is not available.

Children: Day Care

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate his Department has made of the effect of withdrawing the tax exemption for employer supported childcare on the amount of money claimed for the childcare element of working tax credit.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government are not withdrawing the tax exemptions for employer supported child care. On 4 December 2009, the Prime Minister announced Government's policy in relation to employer supported child care. This is set out in the answer given to the right hon. Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 14 December 2009,  Official Report, column 846W.
	This reform will have no impact on take-up of the child care element of the working tax credit.

Class Sizes: Leeds

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average class size in schools in Leeds North West constituency was in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2009.

Vernon Coaker: The average class size of maintained primary schools in Leeds North West was 26.9 in 1997 and 27.5 in 2009; the figures for state funded secondary(1) schools were 20.6 and 20.3 respectively.
	(1)( )Includes middle schools as deemed, CTCs and academies.

Departmental Manpower

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many Children and Learners Strategic Advisers posts there are in his Department; when each such post was created; and what  (a) salary and  (b) job description associated with each is.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 2 December 20 09
	Children and Learners Strategic Advisers (CLSAs) will not be employed by the Department. They will be part of a new integrated advisory service based in Government Offices from April 2010. Following a competitive dialogue process, the preferred bidder for the contract to deliver the service is Together for Children and Learners, a partnership led by SERCO. CLSAs will provide a single strategic interface between local authorities, Children's Trusts and the Department. They will replace the existing Children's Services Advisers and take on part of the role of the National Strategies Senior Regional Directors to agree local priorities and improvement support across all outcomes for children and young people. There will be around 32 CLSAs with salaries between £75,000 to £95,000.

Departmental Sick Leave

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many working days were lost due to illness of employees within his Department in each of the last three years; and how many of these were attributed to stress in each year.

Diana Johnson: The Department was set up as part of the machinery of government changes on 28 June 2007, so figures only apply from 1 July. Sickness absence data, including the average number of days lost and reasons for absence, is published on the Department's website:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/sicknessabsence/

Education Maintenance Allowance: Yorkshire and the Humber

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many students in post-16 education in  (a) Leeds West constituency and  (b) West Yorkshire are in receipt of education maintenance allowance.

Iain Wright: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) who operate the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). Geoffrey Russell, the LSC's acting chief executive, will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.

Entry to Employment Programme

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the January Guarantee of Entry to Employment places for those not in education, employment or training in 2009-10.

Iain Wright: We are determined to ensure that every young person who is not in education, employment or training (NEET) is given an opportunity to engage in learning so that they can develop the skills they need to enter sustainable employment. Building on the success of our September Guarantee, the January Guarantee will ensure that all 16 and 17-year-olds who are NEET in January 2010 have the offer of an Entry to Employment place.
	A funding package of £40 million is being made available by the Department to deliver the January Guarantee. This includes funding for 10,000 additional Entry to Employment places, education maintenance allowance for those additional young people who are eligible, and for local Connexions services to support young people to reengage.

GCSE: North East

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of students  (a) achieved (i) no GCSEs, (ii) five GCSEs at grade A* to C, (iii) English GCSE at grade A* to C, (iv) mathematics GCSE at grade A* to C and  (b) were eligible for free school meals in each secondary school in the (A) Newcastle upon Tyne, (B) county of Northumberland and (C) boroughs of North Tyneside and Gateshead in each year from 2003 to 2009.

Vernon Coaker: School-level figures for 2009 will become available in January 2010.
	The tables provide 2005 to 2008 data on the consistent basis of pupils at the end of key stage 4. Data for the period 2003 to 2008 on a consistent basis can be produced only at disproportionate cost.
	The table contains figures for each maintained mainstream secondary school in each of the local authorities covering the areas requested.
	
		
			  Percentages of pupils at the end of key stage 4 
			Achieving 5 or more GCSEs at grade A*-C or equivalent  Achieving no GCSEs at grade A*-G or equivalent  Achieving GCSE English A*-C 
			  Local authority  School name  2005  2006  2007  2008  2005  2006  2007  2008  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Gosforth High School 58 65 73 76 2 1 2 1 68 64 69 70 
			  Walbottle Campus Technology College 37 48 50 62 7 4 2 1 43 44 45 57 
			  Walker Technology College 61 58 45 45 4 6 7 10 39 42 41 60 
			  Benfield School 37 46 55 64 5 7 13 7 36 34 31 37 
			  Kenton School 70 70 81 85 3 7 5 5 51 43 51 48 
			  Heaton Manor School 63 63 64 67 3 4 1 2 59 59 62 55 
			  West Gate Community College 22 44 50 56 8 11 12 12 14 14 15 18 
			  All Saints College 40 32 48 43 16 10 5 9 11 28 28 37 
			  St. Mary's Catholic Comprehensive School 49 50 60 85 5 12 2 1 47 50 54 57 
			  St Cuthbert's High School 64 69 77 78 3 5 1 4 60 58 68 62 
			  Sacred Heart High School 78 72 80 83 2 0 0 0 66 68 74 77 
			   
			 Northumberland Haydon Bridge Community High School and Sports College 66 63 66 69 2 2 3 2 68 69 66 57 
			  Prudhoe Community High School 62 75 73 74 1 1 0 1 57 62 59 64 
			  Ashington Community High School 42 43 42 54 4 4 6 4 44 51 50 51 
			  Queen Elizabeth High School 74 73 78 84 0 1 1 1 77 72 73 79 
			  Cramlington Learning Village 76 83 82 84 2 2 1 1 65 78 68 78 
			  Ponteland Community High School 76 77 70 85 0 0 0 0 80 77 70 70 
			  Hirst High School 44 45 28 46 11 7 7 10 37 32 29 41 
			  Bedlingtonshire Community High School 43 44 52 53 1 3 2 2 53 55 54 47 
			  Berwick Community High School 63 69 73 85 2 0 1 0 51 50 50 68 
			  The Duchess's Community High School 60 62 61 68 1 2 2 2 69 64 55 62 
			  Coquet High School 49 45 45 59 3 1 2 1 43 57 50 44 
			  Blyth Community College 32 38 37 54 9 6 5 5 39 38 39 45 
			  The King Edward VI School 77 80 80 87 1 0 0 0 70 76 77 87 
			  St Benet Biscop Catholic Voluntary Aided High School 62 71 71 71 1 1 1 1 59 65 63 63 
			  Astley Community High School 58 57 64 81 2 2 1 1 65 54 51 58 
			   
			 North Tyneside Marden High School-A Specialist maths, Science and Media Arts College 72 70 77 81 1 1 2 3 68 72 70 74 
			  Norham Community Technology College 28 39 37 41 1 2 1 1 29 39 39 39 
			  Whitley Bay High School 73 82 77 83 0 0 0 0 77 82 75 81 
			  George Stephenson Community High School 44 48 69 66 2 4 3 4 61 61 72 70 
			  Burnside Business and Enterprise College 48 59 58 72 0 0 1 2 54 63 53 65 
			  Churchill Community College 35 55 47 61 12 8 2 3 26 31 30 41 
			  Monkseaton Community High School 47 53 49 56 3 3 4 1 50 44 51 61 
			  John Spence Community High School 54 66 76 78 2 1 0 0 41 63 70 69 
			  Longbenton Community College 72 67 73 61 6 4 3 4 53 61 66 60 
			  Seaton Burn College, A Specialist Business and Enterprise School 47 66 45 46 4 3 1 3 54 69 55 53 
			  St. Thomas More Roman Catholic High School Aided 75 78 82 83 0 1 0 0 80 80 88 77 
			   
			 Gateshead Lord Lawson of Beamish Community School 78 78 79 78 1 3 2 2 59 59 53 49 
			  Whickham School 78 84 87 85 2 1 1 2 65 64 72 67 
			  Ryton Comprehensive School 59 62 72 73 2 0 0 1 59 63 57 60 
			  Heworth Grange Comprehensive School 43 45 52 68 3 2 3 1 34 42 53 58 
			  Hookergate School 39 52 42 70 7 6 1 0 36 47 45 54 
			  Kingsmeadow Community Comprehensive School 57 60 60 42 8 7 5 6 40 41 35 31 
			  Thomas Hepburn Community Comprehensive School 46 44 50 53 17 7 5 7 32 39 38 46 
			  Joseph Swan School 58 70 77 74 8 8 4 5 37 50 51 56 
			  Cardinal Hume Catholic School 71 78 85 97 3 6 1 1 52 55 75 77 
			  St Thomas More Catholic School 100 100 99 99 0 0 0 1 86 80 78 84 
			  Emmanuel College 96 99 97 98 0 0 0 1 92 96 95 95 
		
	
	
		
			Achieving GCSE maths A*-C  Known to be eligible for free school meals 
			  Local authority  School name  2005  2006  2007  2008  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Gosforth High School 64 70 72 69 10 9 9 9 
			  Walbottle Campus Technology College 30 35 29 39 10 12 13 12 
			  Walker Technology College 21 24 26 32 35 35 34 35 
			  Benfield School 34 38 40 35 30 31 27 27 
			  Kenton School 36 29 45 48 28 22 20 18 
			  Heaton Manor School 54 53 55 49 13 13 12 13 
			  West Gate Community College 19 20 22 21 53 48 43 36 
			  All Saints College 22 21 25 23 44 36 42 44 
			  St. Mary's Catholic Comprehensive School 35 41 46 58 15 16 19 15 
			  St. Cuthbert's High School 53 67 72 61 15 11 10 9 
			  Sacred Heart High School 54 53 68 67 16 14 16 14 
			   
			 Northumberland Haydon Bridge Community High School and Sports College 49 58 58 45 6 5 5 6 
			  Prudhoe Community High School 66 71 72 57 7 6 6 5 
			  Ashington Community High School 37 43 48 44 13 12 12 12 
			  Queen Elizabeth High School 65 65 67 78 3 3 3 3 
			  Cramlington Learning Village 57 66 62 69 9 8 7 8 
			  Ponteland Community High School 68 72 68 63 2 1 2 2 
			  Hirst High School 29 28 33 37 26 23 21 23 
			  Bedlingtonshire Community High School 44 45 50 48 11 12 11 15 
			  Berwick Community High School 42 38 44 61 9 11 10 8 
			  The Duchess's Community High School 60 63 56 61 6 5 6 4 
			  Coquet High School 47 61 59 54 13 12 10 11 
			  Blyth Community College 34 33 31 41 22 20 19 19 
			  The King Edward VI School 68 74 74 78 4 3 3 4 
			  St. Benet Biscop Catholic Voluntary Aided High School 63 64 62 57 7 7 7 7 
			  Astley Community High School 56 59 59 68 9 7 8 7 
			   
			 North Tyneside Marden High School-A Specialist maths, Science and Media Arts College 65 65 71 81 4 5 6 5 
			  Norham Community Technology College 32 45 34 38 25 23 25 23 
			  Whitley Bay High School 67 71 64 67 4 3 3 3 
			  George Stephenson Community High School 36 38 44 38 12 12 11 7 
			  Burnside Business and Enterprise College 46 59 53 65 14 14 13 13 
			  Churchill Community College 27 34 38 43 25 21 22 18 
			  Monkseaton Community High School 38 48 49 57 12 11 10 7 
			  John Spence Community High School 53 67 64 65 16 12 14 13 
			  Longbenton Community College 60 61 57 63 16 14 15 13 
			  Seaton Burn College, A Specialist Business and Enterprise School 38 40 43 38 15 13 12 13 
			  St. Thomas More Roman Catholic High School Aided 79 73 74 77 7 7 7 8 
			   
			 Gateshead Lord Lawson of Beamish Community School 54 56 48 44 9 10 11 11 
			  Whickham School 53 52 58 52 8 8 8 8 
			  Ryton Comprehensive School 57 52 60 56 8 8 8 9 
			  Heworth Grange Comprehensive School 50 47 49 59 22 19 19 19 
			  Hookergate School 37 42 39 60 20 17 16 18 
			  Kingsmeadow Community Comprehensive School 20 30 29 25 29 34 35 33 
			  Thomas Hepburn Community Comprehensive School 15 36 40 42 40 40 38 37 
			  Joseph Swan School 44 42 37 49 21 20 21 24 
			  Cardinal Hume Catholic School 40 43 60 45 29 27 28 27 
			  St Thomas More Catholic School 74 74 73 80 6 7 6 5 
			  Emmanuel College 84 89 93 86 5 6 6 6

Teachers: Training

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many entrants there were to  (a) primary school and  (b) secondary school teaching through (i) Graduate Teacher Programme, (ii) a Postgraduate Certificate of Education, (iii) TeachFirst and (iv) a Bachelor of Education degree in the last year for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: The available information is given in the table and shows the number of trainees gaining qualified teacher status (QTS) by the requested routes and phase of training.
	Numbers of undergraduate QTS completers are not held separately for BEds, BAs or BScs with QTS.
	
		
			  Teachers gaining QTS by route and phase of training, 2007/08, England 
			   ITT course type 
			   Primary  Secondary  Total 
			 Graduate Teacher Programme 1,620 3,210 4,820 
			 Postgraduate 7,920 12,340 20,260 
			 Teach First Programme 0 270 270 
			 Undergraduate (BA or BSc with QTS, or BEd) 5,340 870 6,210 
			  Notes: 1. Excludes cases where QTS was granted primarily as a result of assessment-based training.  2. Figures for secondary also include those for key stage 2-3.  3. Other routes to QTS not presented here include: Overseas Trained Teacher programme; and the Registered Teacher programme.  4. The recruitment figures for Teach First are starters at the Teach First summer institute. This is the most comparable indicator to 'entrants' via other ITT routes. Teach First is mainly secondary but there is a pilot of 30 primary places spread across 2008/09 and 2009/10.  5. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  TDA's Performance Profiles.

Climate Change: International Cooperation

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effects of the outcomes of the Copenhagen climate change conference on his Department's policies.

Joan Ruddock: I refer the hon. Member to the oral statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 5 January 2010,  Official Report, column 42, for the Government's assessment of the Copenhagen Conference.
	At home, the UK's Low Carbon Transition Plan provides a long-term vision to make the UK a low carbon economy while maximising economic opportunities, maintaining secure energy supplies and protecting the most vulnerable in society. No changes are envisaged following the immediate outcomes of the Copenhagen conference.

Departmental Conferences

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much was spent by his Department on conferences they organised which were subsequently cancelled in each of the last three years; and what the title was of each such conference.

Joan Ruddock: For the duration of DECC's existence (approximately one year) there has been nil spend on conferences cancelled.

Departmental Information and Communications Technology

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on what pay band his Department's chief information officer (CIO) is employed; whether the CIO is employed on a fixed-term or permanent contract; and what the size is of the budget for which the CIO is responsible in the period 2009-10.

Joan Ruddock: The Department's chief information officer is an SCS Pay Band 1. The post is currently filled by a permanent civil servant on loan to DECC. The CIO's delegated budget for 2009-10 is £10.961 million.

Departmental Sick Leave

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many days sickness absence have been taken by staff in his Department in each month of 2009-10; and at what cost.

Joan Ruddock: The Department encourages a culture where good attendance is expected and valued. However, it recognises from time to time absences for medical reasons may be unavoidable. The Department aims to treat its staff who are ill with sympathy and fairness and where possible provide them with support which will enable them to recover their health and return to work.
	The number of days of sickness absence taken by staff in DECC in each of the last 12 months could be calculated only by incurring disproportionate cost. However, the total number of working days lost due to sickness in the year to 30 September 2009 (the latest available figure) is 2,521, an average of 2.6 days per employee.
	The Department does not routinely calculate the number of staff who have received sick pay. As this would involve manually investigating employee sickness records and pay details on an individual basis, the cost of doing this would be disproportionate to the benefit to be derived.

Energy: Housing

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his most recent estimate is of the unit cost of  (a) subsidising and  (b) funding the provision of (i) energy-efficient light bulbs and (ii) insulation for a home.

Joan Ruddock: The main route by which insulation and energy efficient light bulbs are promoted to households is through the Carbon Emission Reduction Target. This is an obligation on energy suppliers to meet household carbon emission saving targets. The suppliers unit cost of purchase and the level of subsidy they employ is commercial in confidence. Government estimates for the total unit cost of compact fluorescent lights (including administrative costs) is around £1.41, and for cavity wall insulation is around £455. There are a number of variables which impact the estimates for the level of subsidy suppliers employ, including whether the household is a priority group or non priority group customer and whether it is in social housing. For example, for cavity wall insulation in non social housing, estimates for energy supplier subsidy is on average just under 100 per cent. for priority group households and just over 50 per cent. for non priority group households.

Equipment and Vehicles: Afghanistan

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether new equipment and vehicles being introduced for use in Afghanistan are available for pre-deployment training.

Quentin Davies: There is always a difficult balance to strike when we provide new equipment and vehicles for operations in Afghanistan. We want to allow our deployed forces to take advantage of the latest equipment as soon as possible. On the other hand, they must be thoroughly trained on the equipment they use before they face the enemy.
	We endeavour to deploy complete equipment capability, which is a combination of trained manpower and sustainable equipment. To do this, often the first delivery of a new items of equipment is required for training to ensure the best effect is achieved from the new capability once deployed. That said, there can be occasions, particularly with less complex equipments, when it makes sense to strike a different balance and train in theatre.

Skill Force

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has provided support to Skillforce to place former service training personnel in employment in secondary schools in Nottingham.

Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence has been a firm supporter of Skill Force since the idea of using retired service personnel to re-motivate young people was first suggested and inspired its creation in 2000.
	Skill Force has received a grant of £30,000 from the Ministry of Defence towards a Two Year Pilot Internship Programme for personnel recovering from physical and psychological injuries and illness as part of their rehabilitation pathway and a lieutenant-colonel is currently seconded full time to manage the programme.
	No interns have yet been placed in the Nottinghamshire area. This is because locations for interns reflect their personal preferences.

Southern Afghanistan

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the implications for UK forces in southern Afghanistan of the recent US decision on troop numbers.

Bob Ainsworth: We welcome the US announcement that it will deploy additional forces to Southern Afghanistan. These additional troops will have a positive impact in increasing ISAF capacity to conduct security operations in the south and to train and partner the Afghan National Security Forces.
	We continue to work closely with our American counterparts and ISAF commanders to determine the best allocation of tasks in Southern Afghanistan.

Security Situation: Afghanistan

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent assessment is of the security situation in Afghanistan.

Bill Rammell: We recognise that the security situation in Afghanistan remains serious, however, in the past year much has been achieved.
	At the end of 2009, we and the United States marines provide security for over 50 per cent. of the Helmand population, which is set to increase in 2010.

UK-US Defence Cooperation Treaty

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the ratification of the UK-US defence co-operation treaty.

Bob Ainsworth: I speak to Secretary Gates regularly, and the UK-US Defence Trade Cooperation treaty is a frequent subject of discussion. My Cabinet colleagues, other Ministers and senior officials also raise the treaty regularly with their counterparts, and we look forward to early ratification.

Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Region

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the security threat posed by the Taliban in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region.

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the security threat posed by the Taliban in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region.

Bill Rammell: The threat posed by the Taliban remains serious. On both sides of the border efforts to bring stability and operations to constrict the Insurgents' ability to operate continue.
	This approach was set out by the Prime Minister in our April 2009 policy document Afghanistan-Pakistan: The Way Forward.

Air Force: Military Bases

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 7 December 2009,  Official Report, column 90W, on the Royal Air Force: military bases, what provision of the Data Protection Act 1999 governs the withholding of the name of each base commander requested in the question; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 the names of the RAF commanders are classed as personal data. Section 1(1) of the Act defines 'personal data' as information which relate to a living individual, who can be identified from the data. The First Data Principle requires that personal data have to be processed fairly and lawfully and to allow disclosure has to meet one of the conditions contained in Schedule 2. One of the conditions is the consent of the person. In cases where the individual's personal details have already been made public they would had to have provided consent, which would fulfil the first condition contained at Schedule 2 of the Act.
	The names of the Station Commanders for RAF Wyton, RAF Digby and RAF St. Mawgan were incorrectly omitted from the reply given on 7 December 2009,  Official Report, column 90W due to an administrative error. Their names are shown as follows:
	
		
			  Base  Position  Name/Rank 
			 RAF Wyton Station Commander Group Captain Smith 
			 RAF Brampton   
			 RAF Henlow   
			
			 RAF Digby Station Commander Group Captain Bailey 
			
			 RAF St. Mawgan Station Commander Wing Commander Loader

Colombia: Military Aid

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK service personnel are assigned to duties in Colombia.

Bill Rammell: There are currently two military personnel assigned to diplomatic duties and attached to the British embassy in Bogota. In addition, there are a small number of personnel conducting counter narcotics capacity building activities.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the future of manufacturing of Chinook helicopters in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: The intent to purchase 22 new Chinook helicopters was announced on 15 December 2009,  Official Report, columns 99-100WS. The place of final assembly of these helicopters will be decided later this year, and will be based on ensuring that the aircraft are delivered at the rate and quality required and in the most cost-effective manner. Through Life support of our Chinook fleet will continue to be carried out in the UK with our industrial partners.

Yemen: Military Aid

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK armed forces personnel are based in Yemen; and what their role is.

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will deploy UK armed forces personnel to Yemen.

Bob Ainsworth: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary told the House on 5 January 2010,  Official Report, column 21, we are pursuing a cross-governmental strategy in Yemen based on addressing the causes of conflict, support for political structures, building Yemeni capacity to tackle security, and helping the Yemeni Government to deliver the functions of the state.
	The Ministry of Defence is fully engaged in this strategy, and there are currently two UK military personnel in the Defence Section of the UK embassy in Yemen, whose role is to advise the ambassador on defence issues.
	Our relationship with Yemen, as with many other countries, also includes work on counter-terrorism. At the invitation of the Government of Yemen we are providing a training and mentoring programme for the Yemen Coast Guard and we are also offering training to the Counter Terrorist police unit. It is not the practice of the Government to make public the details of such assistance to individual countries as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice international relations.
	We will continue to offer support to the Government of Yemen and will consider any further requests for training assistance.

Overseas Aid: Uganda

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make provision of aid by his Department to Uganda conditional on a removal of anti-homosexual legislation and ending of public statements of anti-gay prejudice by Ugandan government ministers.

Gareth Thomas: Aid provided by the Department for International Development (DFID) to Uganda is conditional on progress in reducing poverty, strengthening financial management and respecting human rights and international obligations. Recent assessments of human rights in Uganda indicate mixed progress. The UK Government, alongside the EU, US, French, Canadian and Swedish Governments, has lobbied intensely against the introduction of new anti-homosexual legislation in Uganda. We are monitoring this situation closely. DFID will continue to take the human rights situation into account when making decisions on funding to Uganda.

Tony Blair

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many officials of his Department are presently seconded to support Tony Blair in his role as Middle East peace envoy; what procedure is in place for those officials to report formally to their home Department; and whether they remain subject to the Civil Service code.

Michael Foster: At present the Department for International Development (DFID) has one person seconded to the Office of the Quartet Representative (OQR). This secondee is tasked on a day-to-day basis by the Head of the OQR, but reports formally to the Head of DFID's office in Jerusalem. As the secondee continues to be a UK civil servant, they is still subject to the Civil Service code.

Tony Blair

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what date  (a) he and  (b) other Ministers in his Department last met Tony Blair in his capacity as Middle East peace envoy.

Michael Foster: Tony Blair was appointed the Representative of the Middle East diplomatic Quartet (the United Nations, Russian Federation, United States, and European Union) in June 2007. There have been no formal meetings between Tony Blair and the Secretary of State for International Development, or other Ministers in the Department of International Development, since he was appointed to this role.
	Staff from the Department for International Development's office in Jerusalem are in regular contact with the Office of the Quartet Representative, which is also based in Jerusalem.

World Food Programme

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reason the UK contribution to the World Food Programme has been reduced in real terms since 2008; on what projects or programmes expenditure has been reduced as a consequence; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: UK direct contributions to WFP in 2008 and 2009 were £89.9 million (equivalent to US$169 million) and £81.7 million (equivalent to US$127.6 million) respectively. These are the two highest contributions in the period 2004-09. Our ranking among WFP's donors was similar (seventh in 2008 and eighth in 2009) and our share of WFP's total income (in US$ terms) was almost the same (3.3 per cent. in 2008 and 3.2 per cent. in 2009). In both years we contributed more to WFP than to any other humanitarian agency or fund.
	Our contributions to WFP take into account the different ways in which we can help protect the most vulnerable. The main reason we contributed less to WFP in some countries in 2009 is that while the food price crisis of 2008 required an exceptional food assistance response, the persisting problems of food insecurity required a broader range of actions-not all involving WFP. For example in Bangladesh we are tackling chronic food insecurity through our social protection, livelihoods and health/nutrition interventions. In Kenya we are supporting NGOs who are specifically working on child malnutrition.
	Our 2008 funding was also boosted by the response to Cyclone Nargis (£12.6 million equivalent to US$24.8 million) and the final year of our institutional strengthening programme with WFP (£2.8 million equivalent to US$5.0 million).

Alcoholism: Health Services

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many alcohol-related admissions there were for 16 to 24 years olds in  (a) Northamptonshire,  (b) the East Midlands and  (c) England in each of the last three years.

Gillian Merron: The number of 16 to 24-year-olds admitted to hospital with an alcohol-related diagnosis in Northamptonshire, the East Midlands and England for the last three years is given in the table. The Department does not collect data on the number of alcohol-related hospital admissions in Wales.
	Data on alcohol-related admissions in Wales was published by the Welsh Assembly Government in their annual publication Substance Misuse in Wales. However, it is important to note that the methodology used to produce this data differs from that used for England and so the two sets of data are not comparable.
	
		
			  Number of hospital admissions of patients aged 16 to 24-year-olds with an alcohol-related diagnosis, 2006-07 to 2008-09 
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Northamptonshire 535 626 679 
			 East Midlands 3,396 4,488 4,518 
			 England 46,852 49,287 49,315 
			  Activity: Includes activity in English national health service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector.  Alcohol-related admissions: The number of alcohol-related admissions is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory.  Ungrossed data: Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  Data quality: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data is also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Assessing growth through time: HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. The quality and coverage of the data have improved over time. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in out-patient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.  Assignment of episodes to years: Years are assigned by the end of the first period of care in a patient's hospital stay.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for Health and Social Care

Children: Obesity

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of children between  (a) five and 10 and  (b) 11 and 16 years old have been diagnosed as clinically overweight in (i) England and (ii) Milton Keynes in each year since 1997.

Gillian Merron: The information is not available in the format requested. Data is not held nationally on children who have been diagnosed as clinically overweight.
	Children Trend table 4 in the Health Survey for England-2008: trend tables contains the percentage of children aged 2-10 and 11-16 in England who are overweight in each year between 1997 and 2008. This publication has been placed in the Library.
	Further information on the proportion of children who are overweight in England is collected through the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). Table A in the NCMP main report shows the prevalence of overweight children aged 4-5 years and 10-11 years in Milton Keynes PCT for 2006-09. Copies of the publications have been placed in the Library.

Children: Obesity

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many children under the age of 16 years old in  (a) Leicester and  (b) England were classified as (i) overweight and (ii) obese at the latest date for which information is available;
	(2)  how many children under the age of 16 years old diagnosed as diabetic were overweight or obese in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: The data are not available in the requested format.
	Data showing the number of children in England who are overweight and obese have been published in the Health Survey for England-2008: trend tables. In the Population Number Estimate Tables, Table 6 contains the numbers of children aged two to 15-years-old who are overweight and obese. This table is available from the following link:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles-related-surveys/health-survey-for-england/health-survey-for-england-2008-trend-tables
	A copy of the full report is available on the Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk
	Data on the number of children under 16 with diabetes who are overweight or obese are not collected centrally.

Diabetes: Young People

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children under the age of 16 years old are being treated for diabetes in  (a) England,  (b) Leicester and  (c) the East Midlands.

Ann Keen: Sufficient data to answer the question are not collected routinely. Participation in the National Diabetes Audit (NDA) is not mandatory. The NDA does not have one hundred per cent. coverage or participation and therefore cannot provide the information required.
	Data, from 'Growing Up with Diabetes: Children and Young People with Diabetes in England', reported that in February 2009 there were 16,219 children under the age of 16 in England with diabetes and 950 children under the age of 16 in the East Midlands strategic health authority (SHA) with diabetes. Data are available at SHA level only, not for individual primary care trusts.

Dieticians: Manpower

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies there were for dieticians in the national health service on average in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Dieticians are not separately identified in the NHS Workforce Census. Dieticians are, however, included within the category of dietetics. The following table outlines the three-month vacancy numbers, for the period March 2005 to March 2009, and total vacancy numbers, for the period March 2008 to March 2009, for the dietetics specialty.
	
		
			  Dietetic vacancy numbers 
			   Three-month vacancies( 1) 
			  March  each year  
			 2005 87 
			 2006 38 
			 2007 30 
			 2008 12 
			 2009 28 
			 (1)( )Three-month vacancies are vacancies as at 31 March which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more.

Health Services: Armed Forces

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of progress towards implementing the commitments made in the document The nation's commitment: cross-government support to our armed forces, their families and veterans.

Mike O'Brien: The first annual report of the External Reference Group on progress in meeting the commitments contained in the Command Paper, The Nation's Commitment: Cross-Government support to our Armed Forces, their Families and Veterans was published on 19 November 2009. All of the health commitments for which the Department has responsibility have been delivered or, in the case of longer term commitments, on course for delivery.
	Copies of the report have already been placed in the Library.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was between general practitioner referral and treatment in respect of  (a) breast cancer,  (b) hip replacements,  (c) cataracts and  (d) endoscopy in the latest period for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: The available information on average waiting times is as follows:
	The cancer waiting time standard of a maximum wait of 62 days from urgent referral for suspected cancer to first treatment for breast cancer was introduced for all patients from 2002. The latest data (July to September 2009) show that 97.3 per cent. of providers delivered treatment for breast cancer within 62 days of referral. Statistics on average waiting times between urgent referral and treatment for breast cancer are not collected centrally;
	Latest data (October 2009) for trauma and orthopaedics show that the median referral to treatment waiting time for admitted patients was 11.4 weeks, and for non-admitted patients 4.8 weeks. Referral to treatment data is not collected to the level of specific treatments;
	Latest data (October 2009) for ophthalmology show that the median referral to treatment waiting time for admitted patients was 9.7 weeks, and for non-admitted patients 5 weeks. Referral to treatment data is not collected to the level of specific treatments; and
	Where endoscopies are used for treatment, they are included in the gastroenterology treatment function. Latest data (October 2009) for gastroenterology show that the median referral to treatment wait for admitted patients was 3.8 weeks, and for non-admitted patients 5.6 weeks. Referral to treatment data is not collected to the level of specific treatments.

Liver Diseases: Health Services

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to consult  (a) patient groups,  (b) the public and  (c) healthcare professionals in the development of the National Liver Strategy.

Ann Keen: The Department will work closely with the national health service, public and patient groups on the development of the National Liver Strategy, and will undertake a consultation on the draft strategy before it is finalised.

NHS: Training

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent establishing the NHS Graduate Management Scheme for Communications; how many places will be available on this scheme in each of the next three years; and what the (a) wage costs and  (b) other running costs of this scheme will be in each of those years.

Ann Keen: The total cost spent on establishing and running the Pilot NHS Graduate Management Scheme for Communications is £1.2 million. This pilot scheme is just one stream of the larger graduate programme. The other established schemes are: General, Human Resources, Finance and Informatics.
	There are 12 trainees on the Pilot NHS Graduate Management Scheme for Communications who are each paid a starting salary of £21,733. The total cost (wage and running costs) for each trainee is £100,000 for the two years of the scheme.
	This is the same cost per trainee as for the other established graduate management schemes. The pilot communications scheme is the smallest of the schemes.
	The pilot communications scheme runs for two years-October 2009 to September 2011, although it is funded over three financial years to cover this period (October 2009 to March 2010, April 2010 to March 2011, April 2011 to September 2011-see the following table for full details.)
	The Department's Communications Directorate and Directors of Communications for six strategic health authorities jointly fund this pilot scheme. The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement manage the scheme.
	The breakdown of costs are:
	
		
			  £ 
			   Wage costs (including on costs such as national insurance and travel costs)  Running costs  Total 
			 October 2009-March 2010 168,000 182,000 350,000 
			 April 2010-March 2011 343,000 257,000 600,000 
			 April 2011-September 2011 168,000 82,000 250,000 
			 Total 679,000 521,000 1,200,000

Radiography: Manpower

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many interventional radiologists work in each strategic health authority area; and whether his Department has a target for the preferred number of interventional radiologists per head of population in the NHS.

Ann Keen: Interventional radiologists (IR) are captured within the clinical radiology specialty in the NHS Workforce Census. IR are not separately identifiable within these figures as shown in the following table.
	There is currently no specific target, however, IR has been identified as a key priority for medical workforce planning and plans are in place for it to become a recognised sub-specialty.
	Workforce planning, including training, in the national health service is managed and led at a local level by the strategic health authorities taking into account the national policy direction.
	Local NHS organisations are best placed to determine the levels of service and resource required to meet the health needs of the local population.
	
		
			  Clinical radiology, England at 30 September 2008 
			   Number (headcount) 
			 England 3,284 
			 North East 168 
			 North West 485 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 350 
			 East Midlands 234 
			 West Midlands 249 
			 East of England 280 
			 London 470 
			 South East Coast 164 
			 South Central 270 
			 South West 344

Child Benefit

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many child benefit applications are being processed for  (a) UK nationals,  (b) non-UK EEA nationals,  (c) A8 EEA nationals,  (d) A2 EEA nationals and  (e) non-European nationals.

Stephen Timms: All claims for child benefit are checked to establish whether further inquiries are required before being entered into the child benefit computer system.
	Where no further inquiries are required, claims are then processed.
	In some cases further inquiries are necessary before entitlement is decided.
	For non-European nationals when a claimant is subject to immigration control, this can involve enquiries being made with the claimant and the Home Office to determine the claimant's status.
	For all other claimants, when European Community regulations are involved, this can involve inquiries being made with the customer and other European economic area member states.

Departmental Fines

Edward Garnier: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what powers  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies and its non-departmental public body has to impose administrative penalties; what the statutory basis is for each such power; and how much (i) his Department and (ii) each of its agencies and its non-departmental public bodies has recovered in administrative penalties in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Neither the Treasury, nor any of its agencies or non-departmental public bodies have any powers to impose administrative penalties.

Imports: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answers of 10 December 2009,  Official Report, column 583W, on imports: Israel, what documentation provided in such cases is provided by  (a) producers, importers or Israeli authorities and  (b) organisations independent of producers, importers or Israeli authorities

Stephen Timms: The documentation consists of original commercial documents accompanying any customs import declaration: the sales invoice and delivery note/consignment note/packing list issued by the exporter and showing the UK importer/consignee, which in the case of fresh produce is normally an intermediate company, rather than a UK supermarket; plant health documentation (where required); and where a preferential rate of duty is being claimed, either a proof of preferential origin showing the place of production and zip code on the invoice or on a Form EUR1 issued by the exporter and stamped by the Israeli authorities.

Imports: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2009,  Official Report, column 579W, on agricultural products: Israel, what additional checks HM Revenue and Customs has subsequently required of produce  (a) from the same importer,  (b) from the same producer and  (c) from the same place of origin as the misidentified and mislabelled goods referred to in the answer.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs can confirm that once a duty demand is issued, it is their normal policy to examine further customs entries for the parties involved and to issue additional demands if necessary. They will also target any importer known to have production facilities in the Occupied Territories.

Imports: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2009,  Official Report, column 580W, on cosmetics: Israel, what steps HM Revenue and Customs takes in such cases to ensure the place of production and not the business head office is given as place of origin.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) provide specific guidance to importers, which is available at:
	http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/downloadFile?contentlD=HMCE_PROD1_028744
	In cases where there is any doubt as to the actual place of production, the claim to preference will be verified with the issuing authority in Israel.
	HMRC has also asked the European Commission to ensure that in its routine monitoring of the operation of the Technical Arrangement it checks that the Israeli authorities are including the actual place of production, rather than a Head Office, on the proof of origin.

Imports: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2009,  Official Report, column 580W, on cosmetics: Israel, how many consignments of produce was imported into the UK originated in Mizpe Shalem in each of the last three years; and what the nature of the produce was.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available, as the Israeli settlements in the occupied territories do not have separate country codes.

National Insurance Contributions: Local Government

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has been made of the cost of the proposed increases to national insurance contributions for employers to local government employers in 2010-11.

Stephen Timms: There are no proposed increases to employer National Insurance contributions in 2010-11. Employer contributions are set to increase by 1 per cent. to 13.8 per cent. in 2011-12.
	Information on the cost of the proposed change to local Government employers is not readily available.

Offenders

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees of his Department and its agencies have been convicted of a criminal offence of each type in each year since 1997.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: It is the policy of HM Treasury and OGC not to release data concerning fewer than five staff where to do so could lead to the identification of protected personal information about individual members of staff. Since 1999,1 can confirm that the information requested relates to fewer than five cases. Information for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Under the Data Protection Act DMO would not record this information. Any supporting documentation is destroyed after six months due to the Data Protection Act.

Peers: Domicile

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information HM Revenue and Customs holds on the number of members of the House of Lords who are non-domiciled for tax purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: If an individual completes a Self Assessment Tax Return, they need only tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) their domicile status should they have foreign income and/or gains and want to claim the remittance basis of taxation. It is for the individual to decide whether they want to claim the remittance basis.
	Therefore, individual tax returns for individual Members of the House of Lords will show whether or not they have claimed the remittance basis of taxation based on a non-domiciled status.
	HMRC does not collate or aggregate this information for Members of the Lords as a group, as the Members' records are dealt with by several different operational units.

Revenue and Customs

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average cost to a customer was of  (a) a call to the Tax Credits Helpline,  (b) a call to the Child Benefit Helpline and  (c) a personal visit to an HM Revenue and Customs enquiry centre in the latest period for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The information is not available. Calls are charged to the customer based on the tariff arrangements they have with their service provider, the device they use to call and the location from which they call. The cost to the customer of visiting an enquiry centre is dependent on several factors including their personal travel costs, which the Department does not have access to.

Revenue and Customs: Cost-effectiveness

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Office of Government Commerce Gateway Reviews HM Revenue and Customs has performed since 2006; what the title of each such review is; and at which gate each such review is.

Stephen Timms: The following table gives details of the 71 OGC Gateway reviews undertaken or planned for HM Revenue and Customs programmes and projects for the four years 2006-07 to 2009-10. It includes the title of each programme or project and the specific Gateway review number.
	
		
			  Programme/project title  Gate No.( 1) 
			  2006-07  
			 Estates and Support Services Transformation Programme 0 
			 ASPIRE ('Acquiring Strategic IT Partners for the Inland Revenue') 5 
			 Processing Pacesetter Programme 0 
			 Replacement Radio Project 2 
			 STRIDE (IT equipment refresh project) 4a 
			 New Tax Credits 5 
			 Estates Consolidation Programme 0 
			 Efficiency Programme 0b 
			 HMRC Banking Change Project 2 
			 Pensions Simplification 4 
			 Construction Industry Scheme Reform Project 4 
			 Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight ('CHIEF') replacement project 2 
			 Total reviews (2006-07)-12  
			   
			  2007-08  
			 Modernising Stamp Duty 5 
			 Carter (online services) Programme 0 
			 Estates Transformation Programme 0a 
			 Estates Consolidation Programme 0a 
			 Processing Pacesetter Programme 0a 
			 Enterprise Infrastructure Foundation Programme 0 
			 Customs Service Transformation Programme 0 
			 Government Banking Programme 0 
			 Health in Pregnancy Grant Project 1 
			 Government Banking Procurement Project 3 
			 New Penalties Project (1) 2 
			 National Direct Debits 2 
			 Total reviews (2007-08)-12  
			   
			  2008-09  
			 Compliance and Enforcement Programme 0 
			 Excise Movement and Control System 0 
			 Consolidation of Inward Cheques and Forms 4 
			 Health in Pregnancy Grant Project 2/3 
			 Carter (online services) Programme 0a 
			 Aviation Duty Project 1/2 
			 National Direct Debits Project 4 
			 Carter (online services) Corporation Tax Project 1/2 
			 Carter (online services) VAT Project 1/2 
			 Business.Gov Programme 0 
			 Tax Credits Transformation Programme 0 
			 Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight ('CHIEF') replacement project 3 
			 MPPC3 (PAYE modernisation) Programme 0 
			 New Penalties Project (1) 3 
			 Savings Gateway Project 1 
			 Compliance and Enforcement Caseflow Project 2 
			 Government Banking Change Project 4 
			 World Class Programme 0 
			 Estates Transformation Programme 0b 
			 Data Centre Sub-Programme 0 
			 Quantum (delivery of IT services) Programme 0 
			 Compliance and Enforcement Caseflow Project 4 
			 Health in Pregnancy Grant Project 4 
			 Data Security Programme 0 
			 Carter (online services) VAT Project 3 
			 Carter (online services) Corporation Tax Project 3 
			 Total reviews (2008-09)-26  
			   
			  2009-10  
			 New Penalties Project (1) 4 
			 Business.Gov Programme 0a 
			 Compliance and Enforcement Programme 0a 
			 Better Data for CT Project 5 
			 Government Banking Change Project 4a 
			 Excise Movement and Control System 3 
			 EU VAT Refunds Project 2 
			 Estates Consolidation Programme 0b 
			 EU VAT Refunds Project 3 
			 New Penalties Project (2) 1 
			 Customs Service Transformation Programme 0a 
			 Government Banking Programme 0a 
			 Saving Gateway Project (planned) 2 
			 Carter (online services) Corporation Tax Project 4 
			 Carter (online services) VAT Project 4 
			 Validating Household Income for Student Loans Company Project (planned) 4 
			 Government Banking Transition Project (planned) 4a 
			 Saving Gateway Project (planned) 3 
			 New Penalties Project (2) (planned) 3 
			 Filing, Payment and Interest Programme (planned) 0 
			 Compliance and Enforcement Caseflow Project 4a 
			 Total reviews (2009-10)-21  
			 Total reviews (all years)-71  
			 (1) Gateway review stages are: 0 ('Strategic Assessment'-programmes only); 1 ('Business Justification'); 2 ('Delivery Strategy');  3 ('Investment Decision'); 4 ('Readiness for Service' and 'Operations Review and Benefits Realisation'). Gate numbers with an 'a' or 'b' suffix represent repeat reviews at that level.

Revenue and Customs: Surveillance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many authorisations under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 have been  (a) made and  (b) refused by the authorising officer in HM Revenue and Customs in each year since the Act came into force.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is provided in the following table since the formation of HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) in April 2005.
	
		
			   Applications under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 
			   Made  Refused 
			 2005 6480 109 
			 2006 3201 105 
			 2007 3828 85 
			 2008 5364 83 
			 2009 5633 141 
		
	
	The statistics include applications made for assigned matters such as drug and arms smuggling that have now been transferred to either the Serious and Organised Crime Agency or the UK Borders Agency.
	No central records exist for applications made in the former HM Customs and Excise and Inland Revenue prior to their merger in 2005; collating this information could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what steps the Tax Credits Helpline is taking to ensure compliance with item 9 of the HM Revenue and Customs charter, on mobile telephone users;
	(2)  what steps the Child Benefit Helpline is taking to ensure compliance with item 9 of the HM Revenue and Customs charter, on mobile telephone users.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are committed to keeping the costs of dealing with them as low as possible while improving the service they provide to their customers. In recent months, HMRC Contact Centre have introduced a range of automated advisory messages to its helplines, which mean that many customers have their query answered quickly without having to wait to speak to an advisor.
	HMRC Contact Centres will shortly begin an in depth review of its numbering strategy for a period of six months looking at what can be done in both the short and long term. This review will include the feasibility of offering call backs to customers telephoning from mobile phones. HMRC Contact Centres recognise that this will not be straightforward as it will need to balance the cost to the Department and the likely impact on service levels against the costs to the customer.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many calls were made from a  (a) landline telephone and  (b) mobile telephone to (i) the tax credits public helpline, (ii) the tax credits intermediaries helpline, (iii) the MPs tax credits helpline, (iv) the child benefit public helpline and (v) all other HM Revenue and Customs helplines in (A) 2005-06, (B) 2006-07, (C) 2007-08 and (d) 2008-09.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available, as HM Revenue and Customs' systems do not capture this information.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what average length of time individual callers to  (a) the tax credit helpline and  (b) the child benefit helpline were kept on hold in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07, (iii) 2007-08 and (iv) 2008-09; and for what average length of time callers to the tax credit helpline were kept on hold in the month before the deadline for renewal of credits in each of those years.

Stephen Timms: The available information is presented in the following tables.
	
		
			  Average in seconds 
			   Child benefit helpline  Tax credit helplin e 
			 2005-06 n/a n/a 
			 2006-07 15 20 
			 2007-08 15 23 
			 2008-09 14 29 
			 2009-10 (April to November) 13 23 
			 n/a = Not available 
		
	
	
		
			  Tax credit helpline  Average in seconds 
			 August 2005 n/a 
			 July 2006 21 
			 July 2007 19 
			 July 2008 25 
			 July 2009 21 
			 n/a = Not available 
		
	
	For the purposes of this question, HM Revenue and Customs has interpreted the average length of time individual callers were kept on hold as the time customers are on hold during a discussion with an adviser.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of callers to the tax credits helpline who rang to say they were returning to work after more than 20 weeks in receipt of incapacity benefit or employment support allowance or statutory sick pay and who were not returning to work full-time were informed abut the disability element of tax credits in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07,  (c) 2007-08 and  (d) 2008-09.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available as HM Revenue and Customs' systems do not capture this information.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 11 June 2009,  Official Report, column 983W, on welfare tax credits: telephone services, what recent steps his Department has taken to review its numbering strategy; and what such steps it plans to take in the next 12 months.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs is committed to keeping the customer costs of dealing with the Department as low as possible. It regularly reviews how it can improve its services to achieve this objective. It has in recent months, for example, introduced a range of automated advisory messages on its tax credits and child benefit helplines which mean that many customers have their query answered at lower cost, since they no longer have to wait to speak to an advisor. The Department will be reviewing its numbering strategy early in the new year.

Valuation Office

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 30 June 2009,  Official Report, column 210W, on the Valuation Office, for what reasons the minutes of the  (a) electronic capture of hard copy records project board and  (b) installation of a geographical information system project board are commercially sensitive.

Ian Pearson: The minutes contain information relating to contract costs which are commercially sensitive and cannot therefore be published.

Crown Dependencies: Prisons

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders currently being held in prisons in each of the Crown Dependencies are serving sentences for drug-related offences.

Michael Wills: Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are not part of the UK, they are self-governing dependencies of the Crown and have their own directly elected legislative assemblies, administrative, fiscal and legal systems.
	The prisons in the Crown Dependencies are the responsibility of the Crown Dependency Governments and not of the Ministry of Justice. Accordingly the Ministry of Justice does not hold the information sought.

Crown Dependencies: Prisons

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he has plans to expand prison capacity in the Crown Dependencies.

Michael Wills: Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are not part of the UK, they are self-governing dependencies of the Crown and have their own directly elected legislative assemblies, administrative, fiscal and legal systems.
	Prisons and prison capacity in the Crown Dependencies are the responsibility of the Crown Dependency Governments and not of the Ministry of Justice.

Departmental Publicity

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department has spent on  (a) Ministerial photoshoots and  (b) production of videos in which Ministers appear in the last three years for which figures are available.

Michael Wills: The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) have used external photographers on three occasions between its launch in May 2007 and August 2009, at a total cost of £2,197.04. These were for use as corporate images following reshuffles or machinery of Government changes, and portraits were taken of senior MOJ officials as well as the ministerial team. Since August 2009, the Ministry of Justice has had the capability to provide corporate photography in-house at no cost.
	MOJ Communications Directorate has in-house video recording facilities and uses these, at no cost, when filming ministers for both internal purposes and for the Ministry's You Tube channel. Information on the filming of our ministers for other purposes is not held centrally, and to obtain that information would incur disproportionate cost.

Driving Offences: Disqualification

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the merits of making driving whilst disqualified an offence triable either-way.

Claire Ward: We have not considered making the offence of driving while disqualified triable either way.

Prisons: Drugs

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of any overlap between the work of probation officers and the work of drug intervention programme teams.

Maria Eagle: There is no overlap between the work of probation officers and the Drug Intervention Programme (DIP).
	Criminal Justice Integrated Teams (CJITs), which implement DP in the community, manage offenders who misuse specified class A drugs (ie heroin or crack cocaine) either pre-sentence or after they are released from prison without statutory supervision.
	Offenders with drug misuse problems who are sentenced to a community order with drug rehabilitation requirements (DRRs) or who are released from prison on licence are managed by probation staff.
	Where an offender who misuses specified class A drugs is sentenced to a community order without DRRs, probation staff work in partnership with CJITs to address their drug misuse needs.

Prisons: Drugs

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what  (a) assessment has been made of the merits and  (b) estimate has been made of the costs per prisoner of places in dedicated drug treatment prisons.

Maria Eagle: The National Offender Management Service has a comprehensive drug treatment framework, based on the National Treatment Agency's revised models of care, to address the different needs of drug-misusers in prison. The interventions available are designed to meet the needs of low, moderate and severe drug misusers, irrespective of age, gender or ethnicity. Core elements of the framework are available in all adult prisons across England and Wales. Higher intensity services are available in selected sites according to the drug treatment needs of offenders.
	Given the large numbers entering prisons with a history of drug misuse and the range of problems that they face, we have not considered it appropriate formally to assess the merits of dedicated drug treatment prisons. However, where prisoners are assessed as suitable for high intensity drug interventions such as therapeutic communities or the 12-step programme every effort is made to move them to an establishment offering that programme.
	As no formal assessment has taken place, we have not estimated the cost of places in dedicated drug treatment prisons. However, average costs in 2008-09 indicate that the additional cost of places on prison-based accredited drug treatment programmes (eg 12-Step, Therapeutic Communities) can range from £1,200 to £7,200. Variations in cost are dependent upon the mix of staff delivering the programme and its length/intensity.

Prisons: Rape

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many rapes were reported in each prison in England and Wales in each year since 2000;
	(2)  how many incidents of grievous bodily harm have taken place in prisons in each year since 2000;
	(3)  how many incidents of sexual assault have taken place in prisons in each year since 2000.

Maria Eagle: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) does not capture data specifically concerning rape in prison. Rather, numbers of all types of sexual assault incidents are recorded and these are provided in Table 2.
	NOMS has, for many years, recorded serious assaults using a bespoke definition and does not currently have the ability to capture data using Home Office counting rules definitions, such as grievous bodily harm. NOMS defines a serious assault as any of the following:
	It is a sexual assault.
	It results in detention in outside hospital as an in-patient.
	It requires medical treatment for concussion or internal injuries.
	The injury is a fracture, scald or burn, stabbing, crushing, extensive or multiple bruising, black eye, broken nose, lost or broken tooth, cuts requiring suturing, bites or temporary or permanent blindness.
	When an assault results in one of these types of injuries it is classified as serious even if the actual damage was superficial.
	Numbers of serious assaults recorded by NOMS for the years in question are given in Table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			   Recorded incidents of serious assault in prisons in England and Wales  Proportion of all assaults (percentage) 
			 2000(1) 794 8 
			 2001(1) 796 7 
			 2002 956 8 
			 2003 1,159 10 
			 2004 1,220 10 
			 2005 1,371 10 
			 2006 1,404 9 
			 2007 1,482 10 
			 2008 1,481 9 
			 (1)Due to improved recording over the years, figures from 1998 to 2001 are not directly comparable with those from later years. Numbers may differ slightly from previously published figures.   Note:  The numbers supplied refer to the number of individual assault incidents. 
		
	
	Data on sexual assaults and other incidents in prison is obtained through the National Offender Management Service's Incident Reporting System. Numbers of sexual assault incidents for the years in question are given in Table 2. The figures include proven and unproven allegations and are subject to change because some allegations are removed or reclassified following investigation.
	
		
			  Table 2 
			   Recorded incidents of sexual assault in prisons in  England and Wales 
			 2000(1) 115 
			 2001(1) 101 
			 2002 143 
			 2003 131 
			 2004 144 
			 2005 139 
			 2006 148 
			 2007 135 
			 2008 119 
			 (1)Due to improved recording over the years, figures from 1998 to 2001 are not directly comparable with those from later years. Numbers may differ slightly from previously published figures.   Note:  The numbers supplied refer to the number of individual assault incidents. 
		
	
	Since 2004, a national strategy has directed every public sector prison to have in place a local violence reduction strategy. From mid-2007 this policy has been applied to both the public sector and contracted estate. The strategy requires each prison to undertake regular analysis of the problem areas, consider solutions and provide an action plan to improve personal safety and reduce violence. A whole prison approach is encouraged, engaging all staff, all disciplines and prisoners in challenging unacceptable behaviour, problem-solving and personal safety. This includes environmental and physical measures, as well as alternative ways of managing behaviour.

Review of the 30-year Rule

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish the Government's response to the Review of the 30 Year Rule submitted to his Department in January 2009.

Michael Wills: The Government are finalising their response to the review of the 30-year rule and this will be published in due course.

Young Offenders: Reoffenders

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what data his Department collects on youth re-offending at middle layer super output area level; and where such data are published.

Claire Ward: The published National Statistics on juvenile reoffending in England and Wales are not broken down by area. As part of the National Indicator Set, NI19-Juvenile Reoffending provides these data at the local level, but data are only available at the Youth Offender Team level. Youth Offender Team areas are not coterminous with local authorities in all cases-tables including this information have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	Breaking the data down to smaller areas would be likely to result in figures which were too small to be meaningful.
	Juvenile reoffending data at the Youth Offender Team level is available for 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008. For 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 data are based on a cohort of offenders that received a pre-court disposal (reprimand or final warning) or a first-tier or community penalty or were released from custody between October and December of that year. Data on this previous measure for the 2002-2005 cohorts were reported in early 2004-2007 respectively. After 2007 the basis of the measure changed to offenders that received a pre-court disposal (reprimand or final warning) or a first-tier or community penalty or were released from custody between January and March. Data on this new basis are available for the 2005 and 2008 cohorts-the former submitted retrospectively in September 2008, and the latter returned in July 2009.
	The local juvenile reoffending measure differs from the published national statistics on juvenile reoffending. The primary difference is that the data source is administrative data held by youth offending teams, whereas the national statistics are produced using the police national computer. There are therefore differences in the offences which count towards reoffending. In addition to this, local juvenile reoffending data is based on a one year follow up period with a further three months allowed for any cautions or convictions to occur, whereas the national statistics allow a six month period for cautions or convictions.

Apprentices: Nottingham

Graham Allen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprenticeship starts there were in Nottingham North constituency in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2008-09.

Kevin Brennan: Information on the number of apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 17 December:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/sfrdec09
	Supplementary table 6.1 shows apprenticeship starts by region, local authority and parliamentary constituency from 2003/04, the earliest year for which we have comparable data.

Energy

John Battle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what support his Department is providing to encourage micro combined heat and power generation in 2009-10.

David Kidney: I have been asked to reply.
	While the Low Carbon Buildings programme is in theory open to microCHP, the lack of accredited products means the Government do not currently provide support for microCHP. We are considering support options for microCHP in the context of the feed-in tariffs consultation
	http://decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/elec_financial/elec_financial.aspx
	The Government are developing a new Microgeneration Strategy that will look at the non financial barriers to deployment of household-scale low carbon and renewable technologies including micro CHP systems. We are due to consult on the Microgeneration Strategy by the summer of 2010. This Strategy should usefully consider supply chain issues in relation to the range of small scale on-site low carbon and renewable energy technologies, for example, the development of skills in design and installation of such technologies. In addition, it may also consider other areas such as developing a systems approach as opposed to a technology approach for microgeneration technologies, certification and standards and information provision. This strategy should benefit a range of different technologies, including micro CHP.
	Through the Carbon Trust the Government have funded the microCHP accelerator field trial, details of which are available at
	http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/emerging-technologies/current-focus-areas/pages/micro-combined-heat-power.aspx
	Through the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) we recently held a £7.2 million call for proposals for capital investment to support demonstration programmes. This included fuel cell micro-CHP demonstration. More information is available from
	http://www.innovateuk.org/deliveringinnovation/forthcoming competitions/fuelcellsandhydrogendemonstrationprogramme.ashx

Grocery Trade: Competition

Andrew George: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions  (a) he,  (b) Ministers in his Department and  (c) his officials have had on the merits of the Competition Commission's proposal for a grocery supply ombudsman (i) between April 2008 and 3 August 2009, (ii) between 4 August 2009 and 1 November 2009 and (iii) since 2 November 2009.

Kevin Brennan: BIS Ministers and officials regularly meet with a range of stakeholders to discuss a wide range of issues including the Competition Commission's (CC's) groceries market recommendations such as the Grocery Ombudsman as part of the process of policy development. Other topics such as skills, employment and other business issues will have been covered as part of a wider agenda. The following meetings (where records are available) were held during the specified periods:
	 (i) Meetings held between April 2008 and 3 August 2009:
	22 May 2008-Meeting with Sainsbury's-attended by David Saunders (the then Director for Consumer and Competition Policy, BIS) and other BIS officials.
	6 June 2008-Meeting with Tesco-attended by BIS officials.
	11 June 2008-Meeting with Sainsbury's-attended by BIS officials.
	12 June 2008-Meeting with Asda-attended by David Saunders (the then Director for Consumer and Competition Policy) and other BIS officials.
	26 June 2008-Meeting with Sainsbury's-attended by Gareth Thomas MP (the then BIS Competition Minister) and another BIS official.
	17 July 2008-Meeting with Traidcraft-attended by Gareth Thomas MP (the then BIS Competition Minister) and a BIS official.
	31 October 2008-Meeting with Tesco-attended by Geoffrey Norris (Special Advisor to BIS Secretary of State).
	10 December 2008-Meeting with Traidcraft and members of the Cross Cutting Group-attended by BIS officials.
	11 January 2009-Meeting with Association of Convenience Stores-attended by Ian Pearson, Minister.
	11 February 2009-Meeting with Waitrose-attended by BIS officials.
	18 February 2009-Meeting with National Farmer's Union-attended by Sir Brian Bender (the then BIS Permanent Secretary) and a BIS official.
	19 February 2009-Meeting with Sainsbury's-attended by Sarah Chambers (Director for Consumer and Competition Policy, BIS) and another BIS official.
	19 March 2009-Meeting with Tesco-attended by Gareth Thomas MP (the then BIS Competition Minister) and other BIS officials.
	26 March 2009-Meeting with Tesco-attended by BIS officials.
	31 March 2009-Meeting with Association of Convenience Stores-attended by Gareth Thomas MP (the then BIS Competition Minister) and BIS officials.
	17 July 2009-Meeting with Tesco-attended by a BIS official.
	 (ii) Meetings held between 4 August 2009 and 1 November 2009:
	12 August 2009-Meeting with Asda-attended by Sarah Chambers (Director for Consumer and Competition Policy, BIS) and another BIS official.
	13 August 2009-Meeting with Groceries Market Action Group members: National Farmers Union, British Brands Group, Traidcraft, and Association of Convenient Stores-attended by Sarah Chambers (Director for Consumer and Competition Policy, BIS) and another BIS official.
	9 September 2009-Meeting with British Retail Consortium-attended by a BIS official.
	15 September 2009-Meeting with Tesco-attended by Lord Mandelson (BIS Secretary of state) and a BIS official.
	13 October 2009-Meeting with ActionAid-attended by Geoffrey Norris (Special Advisor to BIS Secretary of State).
	15 October 2009-Meeting with Waitrose-attended by BIS officials.
	 (iii) Meetings held since 2 November 2009:
	2 November 2009-Meeting with British Retail Consortium-attended by Simon Fraser (BIS Permanent Secretary) and a BIS official.
	3 November 2009-Meeting with Groceries Market Action Group including: ActionAid, National Farmers Union and Association of Convenience Stores-attended by Kevin Brennan MP (BIS Competition Minister).
	3 November 2009-Meeting with representatives from ActionAid, National Farmers Union, and Association of Convenience Stores-attended by Kevin Brennan MP (BIS Competition Minister).
	4 November 2009-Meeting with Morrisons-attended by Ian Lucas MP (BIS Minister for Business and Regulatory Reform) and a BIS official.
	26 November 2009-Meeting with National Farmers Union-attended by Kevin Brennan MP (BIS Competition Minister) and a BIS official.
	1 December 2009-Meeting with Food and Drink Federation-attended by Kevin Brennan MP (BIS Competition Minister) and a BIS official.
	2 December 2009-Meeting with Consumer Focus-attended by Kevin Brennan MP (BIS Competition Minister) and a BIS official.
	8 December 2009-Association of Convenience Stores, plus NISA, Today's and SPAR-attended by, Ian Lucas (BIS Minister for Business and Regulatory Reform) and a BIS official.
	16 December 2009-Meeting with Divine Chocolate and Traidcraft-attended by Kevin Brennan MP (BIS Competition Minister) and a BIS official.
	16 December 2009-Meeting with Tesco-attended by a BIS official.
	21 December 2009-Meeting with British Brands Group-attended by a BIS official.

Insolvency

Natascha Engel: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many pyramid-selling schemes have been wound up by his Department after the presentation of petitions under the Insolvency Act 1986 in each year since 1997.

Ian Lucas: Unfortunately the records maintained do not contain sufficient detail to provide this information. But I can assure my hon. Friend that the Department continues to treat abuses which occur in pyramid selling schemes and other similar schemes very seriously, and will continue to petition to wind up those which are trading against the public interest.

Leeds University: Research

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much research funding has been allocated to Leeds University in each year since 1997.

David Lammy: The university of Leeds has received the following quality related funding for research allocated by the Higher Education Funding Council for England:
	
		
			  Time series of HEFCE research funding (£ million) for the  u niversity of Leeds for academic years 1997-98 to 2009-10: Prepared by HEFCE Analytical Services Group on 5 January 2010 Figures are in cash terms, and include late grant adjustments 
			   University of Leeds  (£ million) 
			 1997-98 26.99 
			 1998-99 27.42 
			 1999-2000 27.84 
			 2000-01 27.83 
			 2001-02 28.52 
			 2002-03 30.97 
			 2003-04 35.22 
			 2004-05 36.32 
			 2005-06 42.49 
			 2006-07 46.01 
			 2007-10 47.24 
			 2008-09 48.83 
			 2009-10 49.50 
		
	
	Higher Education Statistics Agency data show that the university of Leeds received the following income from Research Councils (2008-09 data are not yet available):
	
		
			  Research Council grants 
			   £ million 
			 1997-98 14.37 
			 1998-99 16.44 
			 1999-2000 18.79 
			 2000-01 21.02 
			 2001-02 24.96 
			 2002-03 24.62 
			 2003-04 23.01 
			 2004-05 25.59 
			 2005-06 27.44 
			 2006-07 31.80 
			 2007-08 39.23

Qualifications: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many adults in the London borough of Bexley completed a level three qualification in the last five years for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: Table 1 shows the number of publicly funded adults achieving a Full Level 3 qualification in 2004/05 to 2007/08, the latest year for which we have final information and also for 2008/09 which is not directly comparable given it is estimated on a slightly different basis and is also provisional.
	
		
			  Table 1: Publicly funded full level 3 achievements by adults (aged 19+), 2004/05 to 2008/09 in the London  b orough of Bexley 
			  Academic year  Number of achievements 
			 2004/05 250 
			 2005/06 370 
			 2006/07 440 
			 2007/08 500 
			 2008/09(1) (provisional) 700 
			 (1) Figures for 2008/09 are not directly comparable to earlier years as the introduction of demand led funding has changed how data is collected and how funded learners are defined from 2008/09 onwards. More information on demand led funding is available at: http://www.lsc.gov.uk/providers/funding-policy/demand-led-funding.htm  Notes: 1. Volumes are rounded to the nearest ten. 2. Age is based on age as at 31 August of the academic year (academic age). 3. Local authority is based on home postcode of the learner. 4. These data include provision delivered in FE organisations, sixth form colleges, independent training organisations, local authorities and other providers. This includes programmes such as apprenticeships and Train to Gain. Data regarding school sixth forms is not included in this publication.  Source:  Individualised Learner Record.

Sector Skills Councils

David Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made on the relicensing of sector skills councils; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: Good progress is being made with the relicensing of Sector Skills Councils. The assessment and relicensing process for Sector Skills Councils formally opened in July 2008 with the launch of the Prospectus, 'Empowering SSCs-Employer driven skills reform across the UK'. By the end of 2009 18 SSCs had successfully met the performance standard. In the case of Skillfast-UK, the SSC for the fashion and textile sector, Government decided to uphold the UK Commission's recommendation not to issue a new license. Instead, the intention is for the coverage of this sector to come within the scope of another SSC. The UK Commission expect to make further recommendations to Government early in 2010 in relation to the remaining SSCs.

Sector Skills Councils: Finance

David Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding has been allocated to each sector skills council in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills provide grant in aid funding to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills to contract with Sector Skills Councils for work on areas such as national occupational standards and labour market information. The funding provided to each Sector Skills Council by the UK Commission, and its predecessor the Sector Skills Development Agency, in the last five years is given as follows.
	Most Sector Skills Councils also receive other funding from a range of sources, including other Government Departments.
	
		
			  £000 
			  Sector Skills Councils  2008/09  2007/08  2006/07  2005/06  2004/05 
			 Asset Skills 3,624 4,537 2,365 2,131 1,789 
			 Automotive Skills (IMI) 2,875 3,079 1,966 1,690 2,225 
			 Cogent 2,545 2,499 1,938 1,922 2,080 
			 ConstructionSkills 3,801 4,490 2,972 1,908 3,166 
			 Creative and Cultural Skills 2,947 1,782 2,631 2,193 879 
			 Energy and Utility Skills 2,598 3,211 2,415 1,879 1,782 
			 e-skills UK 3,331 5,039 6,774 5,858 5,594 
			 Financial Services Skills Council 3,755 3,199 1,928 2,033 2,079 
			 GoSkills 3,151 2,373 2,280 2,058 1,827 
			 Government Skills 1,737 2,537 1,802 301 49 
			 Improve Ltd. 2,607 2,229 2,688 2,021 2,538 
			 Lantra 3,653 4,413 2,272 1,847 2,569 
			 Lifelong Learning UK 2,511 1,875 1,954 2,163 1,533 
			 People 1st 3,613 2,790 1,781 1,910 2,422 
			 Proskills UK 2,828 2,575 2,376 2,195 307 
			 Semta 3,610 3,614 3,659 2,198 2,937 
			 Skillfast-UK 2,851 3,487 2,295 2,048 2,208 
			 Skills for Care and Development 2,079 1,444 2,035 1,653 569 
			 Skills for Health 2,799 2,993 2,646 2,342 1,809 
			 Skills for Justice 4,253 3,283 1,714 1,878 2,245 
			 Skills for Logistics 2,438 1,940 2,352 2,127 1,519 
			 SkillsActive 3,314 3,626 2,596 2,270 1,876 
			 Skillset 3,665 3,807 4,243 2,199 3,071 
			 Skillsmart Retail 3,013 2,891 2,553 2,151 2,640 
			 SummitSkills 2,127 2,648 1,760 1,608 1,981

Training

David Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to paragraph 16 of Skills for Growth, Cm 7641, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the £38 billion spent by employers on skills which is spent on statutory training; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: We do not have a figure for the total spend on statutory training by employers. However, we do know from the National Employer Skills Survey 2007 that only 11 per cent. of employers say that all of their training is in health and safety or induction.
	Government are committed to encourage employers to invest more in training, which is vital for businesses success and for employees. We already provide, for example, advice and support for training through Business Link and the Train to Gain programme. And Skills for Growth, published in November, sets out how we will support employers further: focusing more of the skills budget on growth sectors and the skills that employers tell us are the priorities; responding to immediate and long-term needs; and encouraging employers to invest and use the existing skills of their staff.

Vocational Training

David Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many organisations have signed the Skills Pledge in each month since it was announced.

Kevin Brennan: The Skills Pledge is a voluntary, public commitment by the leadership of a company or organisation to support all its employees to develop their basic skills, including literacy and numeracy, and work towards relevant, valuable qualifications to at least Level 2 (equivalent to five good GCSEs).
	The following table indicates the number of organisations who have signed the Skills Pledge in each month since it was launched in 2007:
	
		
			  Month  Total employers( 1) 
			  960 
			 June to December 2007 (2)- 
			 January 2008 280 
			 February 2008 890 
			 March 2008 460 
			 April 2008 500 
			 May 2008 630 
			 June 2008 960 
			 July 2008 1,250 
			 August 2008 890 
			 September 2008 820 
			 October 2008 1,550 
			 November 2008 1,120 
			 December 2008 970 
			 January 2009 1,530 
			 February 2009 1,660 
			 March 2009 1,840 
			 April 2009 730 
			 May 2009 1,030 
			 June 2009 1,010 
			 July 2009 860 
			 August 2009 740 
			 September 2009 1,100 
			 October 2009 930 
			 (1) Figures rounded to the nearest 10. (2) Data not available month by month for this period.  Notes: 1. Table shows the number of employers who have formally signed the Skills Pledge in the month shown. 2. Data sourced from Learning and Skills Council December 2009.